The present invention generally relates to image forming systems, and more particularly to an image forming system which produces status information indicative of a status of an image forming apparatus of the image forming system.
For example, a general image forming system comprises an image forming apparatus and a host computer. The image forming apparatus includes a central processing unit (CPU), a plurality of printers and respective printer control devices. Copying machines, facsimile machines and the like can also be used in place of the printers. The CPU discriminates the status of the printer. The status information concerns information such as the time a predetermined part of the printer should be replaced depending on the serviceable life thereof, the existence of a fault in a certain part of the printer and the like. When a need arises to display the status information such as when the serviceable life of the predetermined part ends, the CPU supplies the status information to the printer control device so as to display the status information on a display part of the printer.
For example, when a serviceable life of a part of the printer ends, a display is made on the display part to alert the operator that it is time to replace this part of the printer. Similarly, when the printer runs out of paper, a display is made on the display part to indicate that there is no more paper left.
However, the status information is displayed on the display part of the printer only when the need arises, that is, only when the time comes to alert the operator. Furthermore, the status information is only supplied to the printer control part. For these reasons, the operator cannot find out the status of the printer until a display is made on the display part. In addition, a serviceman cannot check the status of the printer at the host computer because the status information is not supplied to the host computer. Therefore, it is extremely difficult to constantly control and maintain the image forming system in an optimum operating state.
In other words, suppose that there are first, second and third printers connected to the host computer, and the first and second printers have parts which need to be replaced after ten more prints are made. However, the third printer has no parts to be replaced for still another hundred prints. If the operator uses the first printer to make thirty prints, a display alerts the operator to replace the part after ten prints are made. In this case, the operator has to once stop the printing operation and replace the appropriate part of the printer before making the remaining prints. Alternatively, the remaining prints must be made on a printer other than the first printer. However, the operator has no way of knowing which one of the second and third printers is capable of making the remaining prints without interruption, that is, without requiring a change in parts or a supply of expendables (supplies).
Similarly, some parts of the printer cannot be replaced by the operator and requires a skilled serviceman. For example, even in a case where the serviceman is called to replace a certain part of the first printer, the serviceman has no way of knowing whether or not the printers inclusive of the first printer have parts which need to be replaced in a short period of time. In extreme cases, the second printer may have a predetermined part which needs replacement after ten more prints are made, but the serviceman has no way of knowing this although it would be more efficient to also replace this predetermined part of the second printer while replacing the certain part of the first printer.
Therefore, the conventional image forming system suffers problems in that there is no way of knowing the status of the printers and the like of the image forming system until a problem occurs, that is, the time comes to replace a part or supply an expendable, a fault occurs and the like.